I'm excited about these titles. The only one of these I've seen is F&A (and only the theatrical version, which I've heard is inferior). By the way, I am a total Linklater newbie, so this should be interesting.

All right, so we're on for Slacker with open discussion starting next Monday?

I assume then we should try to watch the film this week and send some written response to Monsieur Hughes by, when, Darren? How much time would you need to sift through responses and then open the discussion?

In light of Easter weekend, should we shoot for perhaps sending you responses by Monday and then opening discussion Wednesday?

I wasn't thinking, "Please turn in your homework assignments to Darren before class on Monday." Instead, I just think we should extend some kind of grace period -- maybe the first day of the discussion -- for posting our own initial impressions of the film, freed from the pressure of thinking that we'll instantly be put on the defensive for having a contrary opinion or for making a debatable word choice. (Maybe I'm being unnecessarily cautious after being burned one [or five or fifteen] too many times around here.) I'm a fan of Slacker but I have no doubt that some of you will be bored, frustrated, and/or unimpressed by it, and, ideally, everyone should have their say before a back-and-forth begins.

There's a danger, of course, in formalizing things too much. But I'd like to try launching the discussion with a post that works to synthesize our initial reactions, finding common threads, common complaints, whatever. I'll also try to pose useful discussion questions. From there on, it's a free-for-all.

And, for the record, when I suggest that we each write some kind of personal response to the film, I have absolutely no fixed idea about what that should look like. It could be a formal review or a personal anecdote about that year that you took off a semester of school to play in a band. I'm planning to write up a diary response like those I post on my blog every once in a while -- part formal analysis, part cultural criticism, all written informally in the first person. It works for me. Your mileage will vary.

How about we start the new thread on Tuesday morning, leave that entire day free for discussion-less postings, then on Wednesday morning I'll post my synthesis and questions?

"That sounds like a good idea", if I may quote my 2 year old.

I understood "writing" part of this assignment as a personal thing in order to have a more fully thought out discussion foundation. If we are turning papers in, do I have to register and pay for credit hours? (tongue in cheek, people, tongue...in...cheek)

I just think we should extend some kind of grace period -- maybe the first day of the discussion -- for posting our own initial impressions of the film, freed from the pressure of thinking that we'll instantly be put on the defensive for having a contrary opinion or for making a debatable word choice.

I, for one, like this idea because I'm not very well-versed in film criticism and might otherwise feel intimidated about posting an opinion that sounds uninformed (even if it is). Film criticism doesn't come as easily to me as literary criticism, and I have a tendency with films to focus too much on plot and character development.

I have a tendency with films to focus too much on plot and character development.

Well, yeah, then I'll be really interested to hear what you have to say about Slacker, seeing as how it has neither.

Slacker got a home video release some time in the early-90s, but I don't recall ever seeing it in a Blockbuster. It doesn't surprise me to hear that they aren't stocking the new Criterion DVD release, either.

Maybe we should do an official status check on Thursday or Friday to make sure that enough of us have gotten our hands on the film.